The current invention relates to a sub-ammunition object for vapor generation.
The manufacture of rotationally symmetrical sub-ammunition objects for vapor projectiles with a height/diameter ratio of about 1:1, where four to five sub-ammunition objects or fewer are integrated into a projectile shell, is known. As the sub-ammunition is centrally positioned in the projectile and the angular momentum of the projectile shell is transferred to the sub-ammunition, the sub-ammunition objects remain stable on a secondary flight path after being discharged, thereby avoiding excessive dispersion of the sub-ammunition objects on the ground.
The number of vapor sources on the ground can be increased by increasing the number of sub-ammunition objects per projectile. The development of a homogeneous vapor cloud is desirable in this regard. This is particularly important when the vapor effect in the immediate vicinity of the individual vapor object contributes substantially to overall coverage as is, for example, the case with vapors that are actively emitted in infrared zones.
Until now, the multiplication of sub-ammunition objects was achieved by designing the sub-ammunition objects in the form of cylinder segments or wedges (so-called "wedges"), which were radially arranged around the center axis of the projectile. Each of these objects had a weight of up to one bomblet. When the projectile is discharged, however, the secondary flight path of these segments or wedges is adversely affected by the angular momentum of the projectile in a manner similar to that of inserted bomblet projectiles. This results in high radial acceleration after discharge which, in turn, leads to the distribution of the vapor objects over a large area and, furthermore, is heavily dependent on the discharge height. Consequently, there is a risk that the vapor objects will be too widely dispersed, thereby creating a non-homogeneous vapor cloud.
For example, projection objects with vapor charges are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,301 (DE 29 08 116) and DE 28 30 119 Al in which at least a portion of the active substance is designed in the form of a plate with a central blasting/ignition charge or a central powder core.
Another known method involves adjusting the combustion time of a sub-ammunition through its height, compression pressure and/or the composition of its active vapor-forming ingredient. Thus, for example, the adjustment of the combustion speed of a vapor charge through the use of special recipes is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,521 (DE 33 26 884).
In another example, U.S. Pat. No 4,791,870 (DE 37 07 694) discloses an ignition charge containing a nitrocellulose propellant charge pellet and fibers made of a conductive material. A pyrotechnic mixture of red phosphorus and a binding agent is, for example, known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,870 (DE 34 43 778). In addition, many experiments have already been performed on the combustion of active vapor-forming materials based on red phosphorus. In these experiments, the ability to control combustion in terms of the homogeneity of the vapor being produced and in terms of localization of same represents a central problem. And a fire hazard and environmental damage cannot be fully ruled during conventional combustion.